Devils fall again in shootout

BUFFALO — Last season, the shootout was nearly money in the bank for the Devils.

This season, they haven't been able to buy a win in the tiebreaker, and they really needed one Saturday afternoon.

The Devils' losing streak reached four games with a 4-3 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center.

With leading scorer Thomas Vanek out with an upper-body injury, Buffalo captain Jason Pominville stepped up to score two goals in regulation and the deciding goal in the shootout, which the Sabres won, 2-0.

The Devils dropped to 0-3 in the shootout this season after being 12-4 last season.

"We're leaving a lot of points on the table," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. "We were the benefactor of that last year, and this year we're on the other side of it and I don't have the answer to it. I'm not a big believer you can practice that. You just hope that it turns, and we can get some guys that stick the puck in the net."

After Pominville led off the shootout for Buffalo by beating goaltender Johan Hedberg low to the glove side, Devils right wing Ilya Kovalchuk fired over the net on his attempt. Kovalchuk was almost automatic on shootout attempts last season, going 11-for-14, but is 1-for-3 this season.

"I missed an empty net," Kovalchuk said. "If you would ask me 10 more times to put it over the net, it would be tough to do."

After Tyler Ennis beat Hedberg with a wrist shot in the second round of the shootout, Adam Henrique had to score for the Devils to pushit to a third round, but Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller snagged his backhand with his catching glove.

"Last year, we got (12) shootout wins, so it's (12) extra points," Kovalchuk said. "If we wouldn't (get) that, I don't think we would have made the playoffs. So, they're very important points. But, that's how it goes. We all know we've got to be better."